


welcome home

by penultimateApogee, the_fox333



Category: Hiveswap
Genre: Gen, Mild Hurt/Comfort, New Beginnings, Post-Canon, Sleepovers, Tyzias Entykk/Stelsa Sezyat (background), budding friendship, shitty home life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-01
Updated: 2019-07-01
Packaged: 2020-05-28 08:18:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,186
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19390186
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/penultimateApogee/pseuds/penultimateApogee, https://archiveofourown.org/users/the_fox333/pseuds/the_fox333
Summary: Daraya breaks plenty of rules, but when the pressures of the ones she can't become too much to bear, she has one last temporary escape she can try. What she finds is more than she could have dreamed of.Art by AlmaTicktore on Tumblr!





	welcome home

**Author's Note:**

> i fixed the pesterlog formatting so it displays correctly on mobile! (hooray for expressing element widths in percentages rather than pixels!)

Daraya shot one last furtive glance behind her. Satisfied that her pursuers were still nonexistent, she slumped against a stalagmite. From the mouth of the cave, only the purple moon was visible, sinking towards the distant horizon. The cool night air sent her hair fluttering. Throwing one last glance out at the sky, she pulled out her palmhusk.

\-- areyouslappin [AS] began pestering imtootiredforthis [IT] \--  
  
AS: ▼do you ever feel like you need to run away, but you have nowhere to go▲  
IT: frequently  
IT: wwwwhats the mmmmatter  
AS: ▼bronya▲  
AS: ▼i try. i really do. but i cant do everything she tells me to▲  
AS: ▼she’s so controlling, of everything▼  
AS: ▼any time one of us goes anywhere outside the main caverns she HAS to know why▼  
AS: ▼i can’t take a break for two minutes without her hunting me down and telling me off for “slacking”▼  
AS: ▼and messiahs help you if lynera catches you using an “unapproved website”▼  
AS: ▼which is basically every site with any functionality besides propaganda▼  
AS: ▼never mind▲  
IT: no go ahead  
IT: immmm listening  
AS: ▼▼what am i supposed to do? stare at grubs all night??▼▼  
AS: ▼being connected to the surface keeps me sane. there’s NOTHING down here▼  
AS: ▼▼i don’t know how much longer i can live like this▼▼  
AS: ▼▼▼is it even worth it?▼▼▼  
IT: hey.  
AS: ▼▼▼  
IT: do you wwwwant to talk mmmmore about this or just vent  
AS: ▼▲▼  
IT: mmmmy hive is alwwwways open  
AS: ▲i’m not supposed to▼  
IT: thats rich commmming frommmm you  
AS: ▲i’ve never been out of the caverns at dawn▼  
IT: its not mmmmy profession to tell you to take risks  
IT: but immmm allowwwwed to suggest you consider for yourself the pros and cons  
  
\-- areyouslappin [AS] stopped pestering imtootiredforthis [IT] \--

\-- imtootiredforthis [IT] began pestering areyouslappin [AS] \--  
  
IT: wwwwait is that a yes  
AS: ▲yes▲  
IT: alright cool  
  
\-- imtootiredforthis [IT] stopped pestering areyouslappin [AS] \--

Daraya had indeed been on her fair share of jaunts outside the cavern, but they were always night trips, and she was usually back before Bronya sent out the metaphorical or literal search parties. With the moon this low, the sun would soon be starting its turn across the sky, and even though she would technically be fine, it would be a lot easier for Bronya— or anyone— to spot her in searing daylight than in a nighttime crowd. Plus, extra-warm daytime air was super weird. A whole day out of the caverns... Besides landing in serious trouble when Bronya noticed her empty recuperacoon, she would probably lose a lot of sleep. She wasn’t even sure Tyzias had a guest recuperacoon. Were guest recuperacions a thing?

Without another moment’s hesitation, Daraya scrambled to her feet and charged out of the cave. A misjudged step sent her sprawling head over heels into the grass, giggling as she stumbled to her feet. She looked up at the stars, shining softly in the pitch black sky. If she just craned her neck back until everything else fell past the edges of her vision, maybe the vertigo would send her hurtling upwards, towards them, away from here. After a few moments of wistful contemplation, she tapped her palmhusk to the GPS (now integrated with most minor messaging services). “▲first time for everything,▲” she declared to nobody in particular. Tyzias’ hive blipped on the screen, and she broke into a jog.

  
[ https://almaticktore.tumblr.com/](https://almaticktore.tumblr.com/)

* * *

The sky was brightening when Daraya finally knocked on Tyzais’ door. It slid open quickly, as if understanding her urgency. "nice timmmming,” Tyzias grinned, signature mug in hand. “nowwww get in here before you kill mmmme wwwwith your death orb.”

“▲i control the orb.▼” Daraya spread her arms out, raising them to frame the spot where the sun would soon be. “▲the orb is under my command. surrender or be destroyed.▼”

“very funny,” Tyzias raised her eyebrows. “but please commmme in so you dont literally kill mmmme. that wwwwouldnt be very kind of a guest, mmmmuch less a friend.”

“▲ugh, if you insist,▼” Daraya rolled her eyes with a smile, stepping into the living room. The door snapped shut behind her, and she rubbed her eyes in a futile attempt to dilate her pupils faster. Tyzias’ windows were shuttered, allowing in no more than a nighttime glow. The living room was surprisingly tidy; despite the numerous tables and stands positioned strategically around the space, Daraya couldn’t spot a single messy stack of paper or scattered assortment of writing supplies. “▲nice place you’ve got,▼” she nodded.

“thanks,” Tyzias shrugged, taking a sip from her mug. “stelsa wwwwas over yesterday, so its mmmmostly presentable.” She gestured to the scattering of couches, placed haphazardly and apparently chosen based on how far their shape deviated from that of a traditional couch. “sit dowwwwn; make yourself at hommmme.” Daraya picked out a couch obligingly, tossing herself onto it. “you wwwwant anything? stel brought groceries, so i probably have mmmmore than instant noodles for once.”

“▲i’m fine, thanks.▼” Tyzias set her mug on a coffee table and flopped down onto a couch of her own. “▲thank you for the invitation.▼”

“advice,” Tyzias corrected with a wink. “it wwwwas all your decision.”

“▲that sounds like you’re going to rat me out later,▼” Daraya joked. “▲actually, have you got any soda?▼”

“immmm not ruling out the possibility— for the right price,” Tyzias teased back. “ive got faygo, but thats probably not a good idea.”

“▲i’d go for faygo,▲” Daraya cut in.

“youre not drinking in mmmmy hive wwwwithout mmmme,” Tyzias chided, “and immmm too lazy to get hammmmmmmmered. howwwws bepsi?”

“▲ugh, booooring.▼” Daraya heaved herself upright and flung an arm out dramatically. “▲i was expecting a house party, and you give me bepsi over faygo?▼”

“bepsi it is.” Tyzias got to her feet and was reaching for her mug when there was a sharp knock. “mmmmirror mmmmirror on the wwwwall, wwwwho the fuck is knocking on mmmmy door five mmmminutes before sunrise,” she grumbled. Mug in hand, she smoothed her hair down and jabbed a thumb against the door control.

“HELLO TYZIAS DEAR IM SO SORRY TO BOTHER YOU BUT UH—” Stelsa, already talking a hundred miles an hour, stopped short when she noticed Daraya. “OH IM SORRY IS THIS A BAD TIME I CAN COME BACK LATER IF YOU NEED ME TO!”

“no, its fine,” Tyzias waved her hand. “you knowwww daraya; shes sleeping over today. wwwwhat is it?”

“WELL—” Stelsa moved an arm, and Daraya realized that there was another troll there. The bronze had been making no particular effort to hide, but Stelsa’s imposing presence had totally blocked them out of her perception. “THIS GIRL CHIXIE CAME TO THE HIVE ASKING FOR YOU SHE SAYS SHE KNOWS YOU SO I FIGURED ID BRING HER HERE!”

The girl Chixie in question looked like she had seen better days. If she was wearing anything under her incredibly oversized and slightly tattered sweater, Daraya couldn’t tell from where she sat. What little makeup she had on was streaked with rivulets from her still-wet eyes. A microphone dangled from one of her hands, her grip firm but loose enough to look like she might not have remembered she was still holding it. Her eyes darted across the room, jumping back to the floor as soon as they met Daraya’s. “hi—” she started, her voice low and scratchy. Coughing, she tried again. “hi tyzias,” she sighed in a much higher register. “sorry to bother you.” Her voice was monotone, but it felt metered, like she could burst into song— or maybe rap— at any moment.

“chixie... yeah, i remmmmemmmmber you,” Tyzias nodded. “frommmm the concert?” Chixie gave a small nod. “wwwwhats up? do you need sommmmething?” Another nod. Tyzias raised a brow, but Chixie still wouldn’t meet her eyes. “it wwwwould, ummmm, be helpful if you told mmmme wwwwhat it is you need. not to be rude or anything.”

“its whatever,” Chixie sighed. “i can see youre busy / sorry.” Her grip on the mic finally loosened, and it clattered to the floor. She glanced down, startled. “sorry / sorry.”

Stelsa opened her mouth, but Tyzias interrupted— knowing Stelsa, Daraya considered it an interruption— before she could start. “hey, its no problemmmm. do you wwwwanna stay here today? its getting pretty early.” She turned back to Daraya. “you okay wwwwith that?”

“▲sure.▼” Daraya gave a thumbs-up. “▲a party’s a party, right?▼”

“thanks / but no thanks,” Chixie shrugged. “ill be fine.” She bent down and picked up her mic, her fingers curling tightly around it again.

“NOW WITH ALL DUE RESPECT—”

“dont be an idiot,” Tyzias rolled her eyes. “i dont care how mmmmuch you think you wwwwanna die, you wwwwill not survive if you try to go back hommmme nowwww, and thats not happening on mmmmy wwwwatch. you too, stel; i dont care—” She held up a hand, preemptively silencing Stelsa once again. “—how mmmmany clients you have to talk to. they can wwwwait. you wwwwont be any use to themmmm as a burnt-out husk, anywwwway.” Stelsa huffed, but her stance relaxed. “mmmmake yourselves at hommmme. ill be right back.” Not waiting for a response, Tyzias tapped the door control and disappeared into the kitchen.

“▲hey,▼” Daraya waved. “▲i’m daraya. nice to meet you, chixie.▼” Stelsa sat down across from Daraya; Chixie continued to stand by the door. “▲you into music?▼” Still no answer. “▲i'm a bit of a singer myself.▼” Chixie sighed. “▲well, not really. but i’m working on it.▼”

“(SHES HAVING A BIT OF A ROUGH TIME.)” Daraya winced; Stelsa’s whispering voice wasn’t much quieter than her talking voice, and Chixie was right there. “(IF I WERE YOU ID GIVE HER SOME SPACE SHELL PROBABLY RELAX EVENTUALLY.) ANYWAY ITS NICE TO SEE YOU AGAIN DARAYA WE REALLY HAVENT TALKED MUCH I HOPE YOUVE BEEN WELL HOW ARE THINGS DOWN IN THE CAVERNS THESE DAYS?”

“yeah / im a singer/songwriter.” Chixie had managed to slip unnoticed from the doorway to the couch, slumping down next to Daraya. “not like it counts for anything / since nobody cares enough to listen to my songs / and the ones who do just steal them anyway.” She gazed pensively at her mic. “its whatever / i enjoy it / i guess that counts for something / right?”

“▲yeah, yeah,▼” Daraya nodded. “▲you’re doing better than i am, at least.▼”

“hows the music scene in the caverns?” Chixie’s voice had lifted out of monotone, bringing depth to the musicality Daraya had noticed earlier.

“▼not so hot,▲” she shrugged. “▼bronya doesn’t give us a lot of free time, and there are only a few of us with that kind of talent, anyway.▲” Chixie murmured her understanding. “▲there’s not a lot of inter-cavern interaction either, so nowhere for a music scene.▼”

“hey gammmmers,” Tyzias shouted from the kitchen. “wwwwhos ready for sommmme strife?” She staggered into the room, unceremoniously dumping an armful of electronics on the last empty couch. “i have no idea wwwwhere mmmmy lusus kept all this, but i used to play wwwwith gorgor and stel before he becammmme an ass-kisser and she becammmme super busy all the timmmme.”

Chixie perked up. “super strife trolls?”

“you bet,” Tyzias grinned. “i hope youre ready for the smmmmackdowwwwn of a lifetimmmme.”

“OH SUPER STRIFE TROLLS I USED TO BE RATHER GOOD AT THIS!” Stelsa clapped eagerly. “DARAYA HAVE YOU EVER PLAYED BEFORE?”

“i always wanted to—” Chixie started, before seeing Daraya opening her mouth. “oh sorry daraya / you first”

“▲no, go ahead,▼” Daraya shook her head. She picked up a controller and mashed a few buttons.

“i always wished i could play / but i never had the chance to buy a wii.” Chixie traced the console’s ridges wistfully. “youll have to be patient / ill probably be pretty bad”

“▲i hate to say it, chix, but you’re gonna be the only noob here,▼” Daraya shrugged. “▲this was, like, the only game lanque had that bronya didn’t ban for whatever reason.▼”

“oh shit,” Tyzias nodded respectfully. “a true gammmmer, then?”

“WELL PLEASE GO EASY ON CHIXIE DARAYA OR ILL BE SURE TO GIVE YOU A RUN FOR YOUR MONEY!” Stelsa waved an arm dramatically. She grabbed a controller and pointed it at Daraya with a maniacal look.

“babe, youre holding that upside dowwwwn.”

“OH.” Stelsa shifted her grip, somewhat abashed. “ITS BEEN A WHILE HASNT IT!”

“enough pointless remmmminiscing that nobody else can relate to.” Tyzias punched the air. “it’s gammmme timmmme!”

Chixie raised a finger. “not to be a downer but / dont we need / like / a tv?”

“yeah dont wwwworry ive got one right—” Tyzias stopped short, a hand jumping to her chin. “stel?”

“YES TYZIAS THE TV IS BEHIND THE WALL PANEL.” Tyzias nodded and held up a dismissive hand. “WHAT IS IT?”

“howwww the fuck do wwwwe plug this thing in again?”

Daraya and Stelsa’s groans were loud and simultaneous. Chixie burst into laughter, the sound carrying through the hive.

* * *

“gammmmer gammmmer gammmmer GAMMMMER!”

“OHHHHHHHHHH!!!” Chixie and Stelsa cheered as Tyzias grabbed Daraya out of her shield and spiked her off the map. “WELL DONE TYZIAS!” “hell yeah!”

“▲well done,▲” Daraya nodded. “▲you’ve passed the first test.▲”

“this is the second match she’s won,” Chixie giggled.

“▲you’ve passed the second test,▲” Daraya repeated without breaking stride. “▲but can you defeat my ultimate hidden op counter-counter-counterpick?▲”

“I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT HALF OF THOSE WORDS MEAN!” Stelsa laughed. “THIS IS GREAT FUN IM SO GLAD WE DECIDED TO DO THIS!”

“you can thank zebruh for that i guess,” Chixie rolled her eyes.

“▼um, excuse me??▼” Daraya nearly dropped her controller. “▼the fuck does that bastard have to do with anything?▼”

“well / like i said / im in music,” Chixie shrugged. Tyzias picked up the remote and turned the game volume down. “and i had a gig today / until some highbloods stole it”

“▼bullshit! and he was one of them?▼”

“no! / no / zebruh doesnt have enough talent to fill a thimble / he found out before the show / and bought out the venue / so he could guarantee me a spot...”

“▼oh, jegus fuck. if you promise to let him be a creepy bastard with no respect for your privacy and boundaries?▼” Tyzias inhaled sharply, nodding.

“yeah / pretty much.” Chixie sighed. “its—” She closed her eyes.

“ITS OKAY YOU DONT HAVE TO TALK ABOUT IT IF YOU DONT WANT TO.” Daraya hadn’t realized Stelsa’s voice could be so quiet, though that was still highly subjective.

“no its fine.” Chixie pulled her legs up onto the couch. “its probably good to talk about it / i dont really get to vent in person like / ever”

“immmm glad we can be here for you.” Tyzias held out an arm; Chixie nodded, and she set it around her shoulders. A pang shot through Daraya, and she shifted slightly closer to Stelsa.

“this was the last place that i could land gigs / nobody wants a lowblood / not even as an opener / or filler / there are gold djs sometimes / but nothing original.” She reached up to brush the hair out of her face; Daraya noticed the palm wiping a tear away. “its just / so unfair / i dunno if you would get it / not to be condescending or...”

“yeah, wwwwe cant really get it.” Stelsa tilted her head at her matesprit. “wwwwe can try all wwwwe wwwwant to understand, but even though wwwwe have to bowwww dowwwwn to blues, wwwwe dont knowwww really wwwwhat its like to have basically all of troll society placed above us all the timmmme.” She took a breath and smiled bashfully at Chixie. “i think about it a lot.”

“thanks for getting it / or not getting it i guess,” Chixie smiled back. “music circles and lowblood circles are kinda mutually exclusive / so i either get to pursue what i love / or have people around who understand me / and i think you can tell which one i chose”

“▼not to be abhorrent rebel scum or anything, but the hemospectrum is kinda shit.▲” Voicing such a blatantly rebellious statement set Daraya’s heart pounding, but as Chixie and Tyzias nodded she felt a different kind of rush. “▲damn, that felt good to say.▼”

“doesnt it?” Tyzias threw her other arm on the couch behind Stelsa, who flinched but said nothing. “looks like you found the right commmmpany.”

“▲hell yeah,▼” Daraya leaned back and stared up at the ceiling. “▼honestly, fuck the hemospectrum.▲”

“fuck yeah.” Chixie leaned into Tyzias’s side. “fuck it!” she giggled.

“DARAYA WHAT KIND OF EXPERIENCES HAVE YOU HAD WITH UM CASTE DISADVANTAGES?” Stelsa finally spoke up. Tyzias set a hand on her knee, and the two shared a look that Daraya couldn’t decipher.

“▼gog, “disadvantages” are a light way to put it,▲” she rolled her eyes. “▼i think the best part is probably the one where everyone else gets to have, like, a life, while we’re forced into celibacy and isolation for basically ever.▼” She waved her hands mockingly. “▼”blah blah violence danger et cetera,” whatever! i just wanna be able to do shit!▼”

The four were silent for a moment. “i never really thought about that,” Chixie said quietly.

“▲it’s okay; no one does.▼” Daraya chuckled. “▲if you haven’t noticed, drawing attention to oppression isn’t really something troll society prioritizes.▼” Tyzias barked a laugh. “▲and i don’t really think about how lowbloods have it, either.▼”

“shitty oppressive caste systemmmm is shitty.” This time, Stelsa gave a small nod. “no, stel, none of this wwwwas planned.”

“is it ok if i / keep / like—” Tyzias and Daraya nodded quickly. “i dont / i dont know what im gonna do / i HATE zebruh”

“▼as everyone with any amount of brain matter does.▲”

“but it really looks like / hes my only option / but i CANT— / i cant do / that”

“AND YOU SHOULDNT HAVE TO.” Tyzias was the one to tilt her head now. “IM AN AUDITERRORIZER-IN-TRAINING I KNOW A THING OR TWO ABOUT SCHEDULING AND WHATNOT MAYBE I COULD LEND A HAND?”

“thanks, stelsa.” Chixie sighed. “but music is different than government work / i dunno what you could do really / theres no rules preventing any of this / obviously”

“do you wwwwanna talk mmmmore about this, or just vent?” Tyzias asked softly.

“vent / well actually / i think im done for now,” Chixie shrugged slowly. “thanks for listening / its more than anyone on chittr ever does”

“▲what’s your chittr?▼” Daraya wiggled around until she could fish her palmhusk out of her pocket.

“my public is _chixie_sings_ / my private is _subitomorendo_ / you?” Chixie pulled out her own palmhusk.

“▲ _areyouslappin_ , but i’m not on much. and was that a classical music reference?▼”

"yeah / subito morendo / slowly die away / vent account and all that.” Chixie blushed. “kinda surprised you caught that / i mean i guess / youre a / i mean / an aspiring songwriter too / so uh / haha / never mind i guess”

“mmmmine is _imtootiredforthis_ , if you dont have mmmme already.”

“I BARELY USE CHITTR BUT I THINK MY HANDLE IS ACTUALLY I FORGET TYZIAS WHAT IS IT?”

“ _auditerrific_ , i think.” Stelsa recoiled as if she had been hit. “you wwwwere, like, five and a half.” Daraya gave a couple understanding snaps. “mmmmine wwwwas legislexcellent. i tried wwwway too hard.”

“▲oh shit, chixie, are these really all you?▲” The others crowded in to look at Daraya’s palmhusk. Chixie started, tapped over to her account on her own husk, and yelped loudly. “▲no no no, they’re really cute!▲” Daraya rushed out, holding back a giggle. “▲it’s just, like, three selfies!▲” She squinted at one of the thumbnails. “▲it’s not like it’s anything i wouldn’t see normally. i mean, i assume you dress up a little for concerts, right?▼”

“I FORGOT / I WAS—” Chixie’s face practically glowed bronze. “i dont take selfies / as a matter of / personal policy / creeps and whatnot...” She buried her face in the crook of her elbow. “those were for / um / well / me / because / i have a private account / where i / uh / pretend to / be / a / celebrity...?”

“okay, that mmmmakes a lot mmmmore sense than any of the possibilities i just had in mmmmind. owwww!” Tyzias winced as Stelsa pinched her earlobe. “fine, i deserved that.”

“ITS PERFECTLY OKAY IM SORRY THAT HAD TO COME UP IF YOU WERENT COMFORTABLE SHARING NONE OF US ARE GOING TO JUDGE YOU ISNT THAT RIGHT?” Daraya and Tyzias assented earnestly. “WE CAN FORGET ABOUT IT AND MOVE ON IF YOU WANT!” Chixie, busy deleting the last of the posts, quickly nodded.

“so, uh, wwwwhats next?” asked Tyzias after a moment of silence. “mmmmore super strife?” Daraya shrugged disinterestedly. “wwwwhat do people do wwwwhen they hang out?”

“BASED ON THE TIME WE SPEND TOGETHER MOSTLY COMPLAIN ABOUT THEIR JOBS AND HELP EACH OTHER DO THE AFOREMENTIONED JOBS!” Stelsa looked around expectantly. “THANK YOU FOR THE HALF SMILE CHIXIE IT MEANS A LOT TO ME I HAVE YET TO MAKE IT BIG IN THE COMEDY SCENE!”

“howwww about sleep? sleep sounds pretty good right about nowwww because— holy shit its almmmmost midday.” Tyzais rubbed her eyes. “super strife trolls is one hell of a drug.”

“▲so it’s official? we’re spending the day?▼”

“yes, daraya, i mmmmade that pretty clear wwwwith the wwwwhole “you’re not going hommmme” to everyone,” Tyzias chuckled.

Daraya grinned lazily. “▲it still feels different to be, like, doing it.▲”

“ive never had a sleepover before / do you have spare recuperacoons / or something?”

“oh mmmmy gog, no,” laughed Tyzias, covering her mouth with the back of her hand. “sorry, sorry, i knowwww youre newwww to the wwwwhole sleepover thing, but that wwwwould be kinda wwwweird.”

“YOU KNOW GIVEN THE FACT THAT SLEEPING IN A RECUPERACOON WITH ONES CLOTHES ON IS A RATHER UNPLEASANT EXPERIENCE I SERIOUSLY DONT RECOMMEND IT!”

“i mmmmean, if youre reeeeally tired... nah, i have one for stel, but wwwwith friends wwwwe just sleep wwwwherever. couches, usually. i’ve got plenty.”

“▲didn’t take you for the type to have friends over,▼” quipped Daraya. “▲i was wondering too, chixie.▼”

“yeah, its been, like, a swwwweep or sommmmething, but gorgor and a fewwww others used to commmme over sommmmetimmmmes. apparently having a lot of places to crash mmmmakes your hive a primmmme sleepover location.”

“yeah / i guess so huh?” Chixie started to rise, but paused and flopped back down, closing her eyes. “i wish—” She stretched her arms with a yawn; Daraya yawned reflexively, and Tyzias followed suit. “i wish i had put more couches in my hive / its kinda trashy anyway / but at least i could have more places to lie down”

“▲right? wish i could have a bigger hive too, instead of some tiny cave that’s been handed down for fuck hundred years.▼”

“I MAY NOT HAVE THE SAME WOES AS YOU TWO BUT I DESIGNED MY HIVE RATHER INEFFICIENTLY ITS ARRANGED FOR AESTHETICS BUT IT PUTS ESSENTIAL ROOMS SO FAR APART THAT SOMETIMES IM FORCED TO SKIP MEALS BECAUSE I DONT HAVE TIME BETWEEN CALLS...” Stelsa trailed off uncharacteristically, leaning her head against Tyzias.

Tyzias leaned back into her matesprit. “i take it the consensus is that wwwwere all too tired to mmmmove and are sleeping on this couch?” she asked, somewhat rhetorically since her eyes were already closed.

“▲yyyep.▼” Daraya pushed her palmhusk back into her pocket and tilted her head back to stare at the ceiling. “▲i might end up on the floor if it’s too crowded.▼”

“its fine.” Daraya almost didn’t hear Chixie, murmuring as she was into the arm of the couch. “tyzias and stelsa have that side / you and i can have this one / i dont mind.”

Daraya was the one to flush now. “▲um...▼” She glanced next to her at the bronze, slumped over on the armrest, then quickly back away. “▲are you sure?▼”

“mmhmm.” Chixie looked on the verge of passing out entirely, but she lifted a hand to pat the couch beside her. “go ahead.” She yawned once more, and the wave of exhaustion that had been building up in Daraya finally came tumbling down. Carefully leaning herself against Chixie, she shifted her head until her horns no longer pressed uncomfortably against the couch back.

As she closed her eyes, Daraya realized her arm was draped over Chixie. Was that appropriate? She hardly knew the girl; whatever deep personal sharing had occurred hardly made them quadrantmates. ▲oh well,▼ she decided. ▲i’m too tired to move it anyway. plus cuddling being just a quadrant thing kinda sucks.▼ Was there more to it than that? ▲maybe.▼ There were a lot of reasons why she might be okay with this. ▲i hope we can do this again. i like her.▲ As fair a reason as any. ▲i like all of them. even stel; she’s nice. tyz likes her, after all. she’s a good friend. chixie is a good friend.▲ Friends. That was... ▲...new, kinda. friends. not jade-family, not other partygoers. not just one teal fuck-the-system buddy i met by freak chance. friends, plural.▲

Chixie’s whisper was so quiet she could have imagined it. “go to sleep daraya / sweet dreams”

It was hard to say if the tear that she felt, just for a second, was real, but the sentiment was. “▲you too,▲” she whispered back. “▲you too.▲”


End file.
